Inhambane Archives - Page 6 of 24

Posted on December 24, 2017December 24, 2017 by Sean Lange — Leave a comment

Chris Leppan and Hate Speech surfing Mozambique

Chris Leppand and Hate Speech surfing Mozambique

Chris Leppan and Hate Speech surfing Mozambique

Surfing Mozambique in a trilogy of video collaborations shot at three of the best point breaks that Mozambique has to offer. Which means that Africa has to offer. The conditions were far from epic in any of the sessions, but Chris and friends made the most of it. This day however, shot at the picteresque Ponto do Ouro, right on the southern tip of the fabulously long coastline, was pretty much cooking. Well dredging at least.

The highly talented Kate Lovemore was on the camera, which made it an absolute pleasure and a breeze through the studio process.

You can see the first in the trilogy at the following link…

Chris Leppan meets Napalma – shot at Tofinho, a bit further north in Inhambane province.

The final instalment will be coming soon. I’ll leave you guessing as to where this sojourn will take us next.

The cyclone season will be firing up pretty soon – February is coming fast. Balmy hot days and east swells marching in. Offshores to match. Well it’s a dream, but when one day, you do catch these very same point breaks, in these conditions, you shall never forget.

Bruce Gold experienced this phenomenon. Of east swells just appearing out of nowhere. Not predicted on any charts. And it was in August! Painted clean with Offshore winds, the current wasn’t even currenting. But the waves were mean!

Some sets peeled through with not a single surfer making the drop. As the tide dredged out it got meaner. Some of the best barrels were had. For two days the waves just poured through. Goofy foot renegade Craig Els was up from JBay. And fell into an amazing rhythm right off the bat. Thwacking the perfect rights until they finally stopped coming.

Luckily Bruce grabbed a camera and shot off some clips right in the heat of it all. His running commentary and the waves he filmed formed the core content for the surf film Shaloha. A Bruce Gold epic. Featuring many of the hotter surfers up and down this coastline, the compilation starts in Cape Town, and ends in Mozambique. In the most perfect waves.

Bruce ended up staying in Tofinho for a whole four months after the huge trip. And fell right in with the palmy lifestyle around here.

Enjoy the day…

If you want to come surf these waves with us…check out the options in the menu above, or follow this link…

https://thesardine.co.za/product-category/surfing-experiences

Catch us on Facebook at…

http://facebook.com/thesardine.co.za/

Posted on December 21, 2017December 20, 2017 by Sean Lange — Leave a comment

The Bonefish of Mozambique

Jimmy Bonefish regularly catches these world record potential bonefish in summertime

The Bonefish of Mozambique

The bonefish of Mozambique – well Inhambane in this case. Often this time of year (Summer), whilst working the shallow waters between Tofo and Tofinho, big silver fish can be seen lolling about the surface. Their silver backs are exposed as they dart this way and that, seemingly on the feed. But cast after cast and all you might get out of them is a look. Dropshots don’t work, nor do spoons or plugs. I am sure they will take a well-presented fillet bait, but they won’t touch a rapala or even a daisy chain.

Bonefish!

Right behind the Tofo headland, is where these shoals of huge bonefish swim…

Some local subsistence fishermen know where and how to catch the smaller ones. Right in the surf zone, in the white waters below the cliffs, with bait won off the rocks at low tide.

But Jimmy, our fishing champion, based on the point at Tofinho…knows how to catch the big ones.

He has taken 5 in an evening…on squid bait!? And the size? Average 6 or 7 kilos!

Even Jimmy’s clients (he is a great rock ‘n surf fishing guide), have taken 2 or 3 in a session, using this method.

Highly acclaimed as a prizefighter, bonefish are extensively hunted on the flats of the Florida Keys in the USA. It’s one of the biggest sport fishing industries there is. And all on fly.

Saltwater fly fishing grew enormously as a result of these fiesty and fussy game fish.

Permit (pompano to us) and tarpon frequent the same waters as bonefish and many fishing guides and charters take their clients fishing for these acclaimed fish, all over the South.

But. In the USA, they hardly get half the size of the behemoths hanging out on the backline off Tofo and surrounds.

IGFA, the International Game Fishing Association, is the custodian organization for world and regional fishing records. And the all tackle world record bonefish is recorded as being caught in Zululand, South Africa, by Brian Bachelor in 1962. 8.6kgs.

http://wrec.igfa.org/WRecordsList.aspx?lc=AllTackle&cn=Bonefish

When the bonefish come through here, they are really active. They seem to feed on tiny surface fish and organisms on the backline and the edge of the surf zone, with their otherwise suggesting down facing tiny mouths. In the USA they are fished on the flats on an incoming tide, where they feed on the sand bottom and in and about seagrass fields.

If you are super keen to get onto whipping a few flys about the back line, between Tofo and Tofinho points, and if you can handle a 9 weight, give us a buzz on umzimkulu@gmail.com.

It might be an even better plan…to bring a 12 weight rig too, as kingfish, sailfish, tuna, king mackerel and queen fish also patrol the shallows behind the long, shallow ledge just off the Tofo headland.

And 8.6kgs is an easy target.

Jimmy says he has caught many 9kg bonefish! And bigger!

Posted on December 18, 2017 by Sean Lange — Leave a comment

Tofo Ocean Festival 2017

Tofo Ocean Festival 2017

Right on the beach at Fatimas each year! The Tofo Ocean Festival 2017 looks to be the biggest yet. Check out the post party clip for last years event and festivities…

And details for the 2017 event…

Praia do Tofo is the grand stage for the New Years celebrations here in Mozambique 2017. There is something going on in every corner of the party-infused town. But none as big as the main event – the Tofo Ocean Festival 2017. Held at Fatimas Nest – right on Tofo Beach. Over New Years. 27 December 2017 to 1 January 2018!

It’s an ocean festival, aimed at increasing ocean awareness – but it’s all about the music through the summer nights. In full New Year swing, the sun comes up all too soon every day. DJs and musos line up to contribute to the show. They come from all over the place.

The people also come from far and wide for the Ocean Festival and Praia do Tofo. The Tofo “gridlock” turns into an endless street party all leading to Fatimas.

Fatimas for breakfast in Tofo starts at 7am — Fatimas – the scene of the Tofo Ocean Festival 2017

Best leave your car where it is and walk and dance the night away. The town has already started filling up. It’s gonna be a really big year at this

You can see past years productions on the Fatimas website at https://www.mozambiquebackpackers.com/tofo-ocean-fest

And more about Fatimas at https://www.mozambiquebackpackers.com/

Post prepared by The Sardine News

Posted on December 6, 2017 by Sean Lange — Leave a comment

FishBazaruto 2017 marlin season Final Reports

FishBazaruto 2017 marlin season Final Reports

Captain Duarte Rato submits and end of marlin season report from Bazaruto Island, filled with fantastic imagery and fishing stories. Tales of huge fish! Marlin over 1000lbs. Many just shy of the mark. Almost all marlin and sailfish are released by the highly trained and efficient team running the good boat Vamizi.

Click on over to Duarte’s report below…

Bazaruto Big Fish Season – End Nov early Dec ‘17 report

A few shots from this weeks gallery…(c) FishBazaruto

Marlin season 2017 has been an absolute blast this year

FishBazaruto have been taking bookings now already for next years marlin season, which can start as early as September. Depending on the prevailing winds. If the South Easter howls through winter and into spring, and then gives way to the very mild low-pressure systems that can come through as we move into summer, the season can extend for months each side of November.

Duarte spends the whole December with his family. Greta and two boys who are growing up fast. And then starts again in January and fished his home waters of Bazaruto a while longer, until he heads on off chasing marlin all about the globe.

Get in touch with Duarte via http://fishbazaruto.com and while you are there check through the archives of all his posts since 2011!

There is a video section, and so much interesting and relevant information about Bazaruto and its waters. Including a table referencing the best times for each fish regards season.

Posted on December 4, 2017December 5, 2017 by Sean Lange — Leave a comment

Summertime in Tofo

Surfing Tofo shorebreak: Team Mom and Dad Plomaritis leave a few for the kids

Summertime in Tofo

Summer has hit Tofo with a heatwave that takes some getting used to! Its a merry 25 degrees in the evenings, and soars to 35 or more in the daytime. It’s been a little rainy through November – it’s those days after the rain that come back with such vengeance.

But that is what everyone is here for – some R&R in the sun! Rest and recovery, not Rum and Morango!

Surfing

The waves were waving in November, and the sand has stuck around the at the usual haunts, and looks to stay checked in right through December. But it’s out front of the market and down past Fatimas, that has been hosting the most surfers. Nice little shore breaks great for getting your grovel on! And staying fit!

Fishing

The fish market tells stories of the couta being really on the bite. Some boats are back before 6am with a few fish already. But it’s the bottomfish that are of real quality. Big reds and snapper. Huge scavengers – like over a kilo each. Delicious! It’s great that these artisinal fishermen are still finding such high quality fish – it seems that rowboats as commercial fishers, might just be sustainable. This year on the Tofo side of the peninsula, we will be running kayak fishing trips, on the nice days.

Diving

The water has been quite clean and again, the diveys have reported loads of life on the reefs. Check out a real cool video by ArtSurfer.nl, shot yesterday, at Manta Reef, way down towards Guinjata and Coconut Bay. This reef, just south of Praia do Rocha, and about 3kms out to sea, is spectacular as you can see on the clip. The turtle leading the cast, actually lives there on Manta, most of the time. A nice surprise from last week, were the few straggling humpbacks. They do sometimes hang around into November, but very seldom December. A mother and calf were seen together by a dive crew.